1905 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



71 



"^ 



#«; 



THE HARRISBURG MEETING. 



Foul Brood and Foul-brood Legislation for 

 Pennsylvania ; the Supply Business. 



BY WM. A. SELSER. 



The first annual meeting or second regu- 

 lar meeting of the Pennsylvania State Bee- 

 keepers' Association met at Harrisburg, Dec. 

 6. The meeting was called to order by Prof. 

 H. A. Surface, head of the Division of Zo- 

 ology in the Agricultural Department; Rev. 

 D. L. Woods, of Muncy, Secretary. There 

 was quite a large representation from all 

 over the State, and names came pouring in 

 from a large section as new members at the 

 first session. Hon. Mr. Martin, Deputy Sec- 

 retary of the Department of Agriculture, 

 joined the Association, and became exceed- 

 ingly interested in all its detail work, and 

 offered to assist, through his Bureau, as far 

 as possible, the work in every way. He 

 further promised that, if the Association 

 would furnish the speakers, he would see 

 that they had a place, as far as possible, on 

 the various farmers' institutes that were 

 held by the Department throughout the 

 State. His statements were met with hearty 

 approval and great applause. A vote of 

 thanks was extended to him for his assist- 

 ance. Richard D. Barclay, a member of 

 the State College, spoke of carrying on 

 some experiments in apiculture at that place, 

 and expects to investigate still further, and 

 experiment on the various lines suggested. 



After the report of the Secretary and 

 Treasurer was read, reports of the various 

 committees were heard, and the President 

 appointed a committee on resolutions, consist- 

 ing of Messrs. Cattleman, Woods, and Ferry. 

 Mr. E. Pressler, of Williamsport, made his 

 report of the convention of the National As- 

 sociation at St. Louis, emphasizing the pro- 

 cedure pertaining to the National Honey-pro- 

 ducers' Association, after which the question- 

 box was opened, and about fifteen questions 

 of various natures answered and discussed 

 with interest. The meeting closed with 

 prayer by Rev. D. L. Woods. 



At 5 P.M. a committee was appointed, con- 

 sisting of the officers of the Association, 

 along with Mr. Frank Benton, of Washing- 

 ton, and Mr. N. E. France, of Wisconsin, to 

 visit the Governor. They had a conference 

 of about forty minutes, in reference to se- 

 curing a foul-brood law for Pennsylvania. 

 Prof. Surface had worked hard in this direc- 

 tion in leading the Governor up to this meet- 

 ing, and the Governor promised that he 

 would do all in his power to secure this law. 

 He suggested that the head of it be under 



the department of Prof. Surface, which met 

 with the hearty approval of the Association. 

 Governor Pennypacker shows a very kindly 

 interest, and made many inquiries in refer- 

 ence to the pursuit throughout the different 

 parts of the State. 



At 7:30 the meeting was again called to 

 order by President Surface. Wm. A. Sel- 

 ser, representative of the Root Co. in Phila- 

 delphia and New York, made some extended 

 remarks regarding the bee-supply business 

 having been brought to the doors of the 

 bee-keeper through the East, and the hearty 

 satisfaction that the bee-keepers had ex- 

 pressed in visiting the different branches in 

 being able to get their supplies within a few 

 hours' notice at their own doors. He said 

 that, while the expense might be increased 

 slightly on account of establishing these 

 branches, the bee-keepers everywhere had 

 expressed their approval in declaring that 

 they had not only been saved freight and an- 

 noyance, but it being so hard to anticipate 

 their wants to any extent ahead, especially 

 during the busy season, they felt the Root 

 Co. had been really benefactors to the bee- 

 men. 



The president then made his annual ad- 

 dress, reviewing the whole matter of the 

 foul-brood law, and what has been accom- 

 plished in the State in the short time since 

 its organization, and what he had planned 

 for the future. Prof. Surface's address 

 showed that he was thoroughly familiar with 

 the subject in all its details. With such an 

 able officer, the Association has great rea- 

 sons to congratulate itself. The President 

 spoke especially as working in conjunction 

 with the local association, and hoped that all 

 the local associations throughout the State 

 would join the State Association in a body. 

 He showed that the three associations, the 

 local. State, and National, were all working 

 in perfect harmony, and he urged every bee- 

 keeper in the State to do all in his power to 

 assist him by joining. 



Next followed the paper by Dr. E. F. Phil- 

 lips. He has been recognized, especially 

 among the officials of the State, as a high 

 authority on all matters, and more especial- 

 ly in a scientific way on bee culture. The 

 doctor takes a deep interest in the practical 

 part of bee-keeping, and the meeting had no 

 one to pay closer attention to every detail of 

 its proceedings than Dr. Phillips. Quite a 

 discussion followed the reading of Dr. P. 's 

 paper, and the meeting adjourned at 10:30. 



On Wednesday, at 9 a. m., in the absence 

 of the President and first vice-president, 

 Wm. A. Selser was called to the chair. The 

 meeting was opened by prayer by the Rev. 

 Mr. Baines. After some discussion of the 

 minutes of the previous meeting they were 

 approved. N. E. France, who had been the 

 guest of the Association, and had been 

 brought from the West to attend this meet- 

 ing, was then introduced, and made a very 

 interesting address on foul brood. Two oth- 

 er papers were on the program for this 

 meeting, one by L C. Fuller, on bee-keep- 

 ing as a business, and one by Mr. Gabriel 



